My daughter came home and told us she has a boyfriend..his name is Jacob..he is cute...she is 5 years old and in Kindergarten!! I don't even know what else to say.....

My new toy!!

Wow yesterday was a great day! I have been wanting a new camcorder for a very long time. Ours broke when hailey was smaller, at least 2 years ago. Once grant was born we didn't want to let those special baby moments get passed over again. Hailey is in school now so they will have a Christmas play and other activities we will want to record. So last night we got a, JVC Everio 60GB Micro SD Hard disk camcorder. It is so little and is very easy to use. It is amazing how simple it is...i love it! I haven't figured out the software on it and won't until probably tomorrow but i will have some video's of the kiddos posted really soon!!!

I have been reading all these blogs and i am always jealous of everyone's videos! Now i don't have to because i can do it myself! If you don't have a camcorder yet you should get this one it is soooo awsome! As soon as grant wakes up i am going to get some footage of him...exciting, gotta go!!!

My school starts back next tuesday

I am not looking forward to going back to school this fall...it is a week away and i usually look forward to it... sorta...but this time i just feel like i am going to miss so much! With hailey being in school all day i feel like i am short changing her..also i barely see jason already with our crazy schedule..and grant is just a baby and needs his momma..i will only be gone about two-three hours before he goes to sleep but that is alot! I am the one who feeds him and puts him to sleep every night! I hate missing that special us time! He is going to be doing so much over the next couple of months..crawling..then walking..talking..ect...if i miss any of those first i will go crazy! I know this is what i asked for when going back to school and know i only have one more year of this then i am done..but looking back i wonder why i didn't do this in the first place?? Why was i so scared of an university?? I never should have left there when i was younger..for all the years of schooling i have i could have became a doctor by now but instead....don't get me wrong i love my life and my children and the path i have taken there but schooling should have been a priority!!

I know God has led me through this path and this was the way he chose for me but sometimes i wonder why i couldn't have had it easier!! I beleive i have wonderful things in my life and the best is yet to come and just keep wondering when i won't have to worry so much about how to buy groceries, formula, diapers...when we can rest easier that paying for our children's college will happen! I have always been a worry wort and always will be but i am a damn hard worker and know i can do wonderful things and won't stop to reach my goals but at the same time i won't sacrifice to much family time to get there! My husband and children need me..and i need them..support is key! I am just praying i can make it through these five classes without having to much of a headache and still have some time for my family and the things i love! I know it is going to be draining and lots of work to keep up my grades but i have decided that straight A's is not that important to me anymore. I need to be realistic and know that i canget B's and it wont affect anything....i will still graduate...but i will have had more time with my family during thew times that they need me!

Halloween 2006

How well do i know my husband?? How about you, how well do you know yours??

How well DO you know your significant other...be honest!!!.....20 Q's

1. They are watching TV..... What are they watching?Depends..could be TrueTV(first 48, snapped), history channel, spike(car/truck fixer up's), Colt's football, Family Guy, Animals, travel/tlc occassionally

2. You're out to eat.what kind of dressing do they get on their salad?He usually gets a ceasar salad but i would say blue cheese if not ceasar.

3.What's one food this person doesn't like?I am unsure he has something he doesn't like??

4. You go out to the bar. He/she orders......BEER..a wide variety depends on what is on tour at Old Chicago (:

5 Where did he/she go to high school?North Posey

6.What size shoe do they wear?11??

7. If this person were to collect anything, it would be? Everything!!he-he..odd things from work..flashlights/lasers, Star Wars collectibles/movies, DVD's/CD's, electronic devices..and the list goes on.....and on...he-he

8.What is their favorite type of car?He loves cars but since he has had 47654322 NEONS that would be my guess...but if money wasn't an expense..anything very fast and racable.

9. This person could eat __________ everyday? Sushi, ice cream

10.Favorite cereal?Banana nut crunch

11. This person wouldn't be caught dead wearing.....pink

12.Favorite sports team?GO COLT'S

13.Who will he/she vote for?Obama

14.What is their sign?I think a sagitarius...

15.What is something you do that he/she wishes you didn't?wiggle/fidget

16.How many states has this person lived in?2(indiana forever..then he interned in louisville, kentucky for college

17.What is he/she's heritage?German..full blooded i think

18. You bake them a cake for their birthday....What kind do they want?Ouch..i don't know??Ice cream cake..or carrot cake

19.Did he/she play sports in high school?Yes,football and baseball..i think

20. This person could spend hours......Playing video games..Damn Halo!!

I am going to have him double check this and see how close i came..i learn something new everyday!

Family scrapbook

Update- on kids being sick

Grant-seems to be doing better but has a slight runny nose. He is sleeping most of the night again and only waking once to eat then going right back to sleep! Thank God!! His two top front teeth are through the skin but it looks like he is getting at least one more on the top. He has been back on schedule with his sleeping and eating and seems to be going back to a routine.

Hailey- Had another ear infection. She has had three this year and five in 16 months. That is not good! So they referred us to a ear, nose, and throat specialist Dr. Mark Logan and we have an appointment on Sept. 5 to decide what our options are. Our doctor thinks they will probably go ahead and put tubes in her ears. I am sad..i always thought tubes were more for babies/toddlers?? I haven't heard of many 5 year olds getting tubes.

I just want her to be happy and comfortable again. She wakes up in the middle of the night with horrible ear pain and has numbing drops we have to give her. Or she ends up with a super high fever(like 104 or 105)!! Last time we couldn't get any medicine in her because the fever made her vomit which made no medicine even tylenol go down. She aslmost had to go to the emergency room because she was so hot! It was scary! I am hoping whatever the decision is she isn't in pain. She seems to be feeling okay today. Her nose is still running a little but fluids are clear and her ear hasn't been hurting.

I am happy we have our medical deductibles paid up this year or we would be paying a fortune for everything that has happened this year. Betwee grant being born, jasons physical therapy, my occupational therapy, hailey's dental surgery, jason's stiches, my pink eye, hailey's ear infections, kids shots..and the list goes on....i have no clue what we are going to do next year? I am praying we have a super healthy year!!Yeah right, what is the chance of that! It has been a crazy medical year and we still have a long time left to see what disasters still unfold. Pray for health!!

SICK KIDDOS

Yuck, what a night! Both kids have had runny noses and sneezes for the past couple of days..all clear fluid. I figure it must be allergies since mine have been acting up also. So between Grant's shots, teeth, and now being sick he has been waking up at least 2-3 times a night. Luckily not for long periods of time but around 30 minutes to eat. Then last night about midnight after getting Grant back to sleep hailey came in our room crying. Her ear was hurting. She was so uncomfortable. I gave her some of the numbing drops the doctor gave me from previous ear infections and some tylenol on top of the cold medicine she had before bed. She was dopped up but still in pain. She wanted to sleep with us which meant no sleep for us! She tossed and turned, moaned and groaned...uggggg...then grant was up a couple of times in between that. I finally decided to just get up around 6 and get the day going. I feel good as long as i don't sit for to long then the sleepy bugs try to pull my eyelids closed.........."O" ---i'm still here barely! hehe..we have a doctors appointment at 11:15 so i'm sure they will put her back on medication for the ear infection! Hailey will have had 3 or 4 ear infections already this year! It is crazy, the older she gets the more she seems to get. So sad! She almost gets sick everytime she has to take this medicine because it is so gross! Wish i could magically make it better! You wish for me to sleep that would be great!

Hubby is back

Luckily, Jason is back today!! It has made life so much better. I never realized how hard it was to do it on my own. He took hailey to school today and will most mornings. One less thing on my plate. I think i like the chaos, to a point, it keeps me busy but i NEED some down time once in a while. I think i just missed having him around. We are so caught up in the everyday that many times we say hi just in passing but with him gone i missed those late night cuddles. Just waking up and knowing he is there was sooooo nice. I hope that we can find the time to have another date night soon before i start back to school in September. We need some mommy & daddy time. Everyone go hug your hubby and tell him you love him and are grateful for all he does in your life. I plan on doing the same!

Exaustion and random tidbits of life without my hubby

Wow, it has been a long couple of days with Jason out of town(he's been gone since early wednesday morning and won't be back until tomorrow aftenoon or evening). I have had to work everyday and hailey has had school all week. Amazing how that alone can add so much extra work into your day. Not having him here to help with bathes, dinner, or just to keep one of them occupied is sooo hard. I can't imagine how people make it as single parents...i need help!!!

Grant had shots on Thursday and is getting two or three top teeth in(that would give him 5 total teeth). At least one popped through today(thank God)!!!! He has been a bear, barely eating and fussy. His sleep pattern is way off. He is taking cat naps during the day(no more two hour naps) and at night he has been waking up like every hour or two and occassionally is unconsolable for 15-20 minute jags ); I have been trying oragel($7.00-rediculous), ice, and everything else to entertain him or console him but nothing seems to help. It has been rough..i have gotten about three-five hours of sleep every night! I need a good night sleep so badly!

Then my mom had a friend of the family pass away and she needed to make most of the food for 75 people(for the church dinner after the funeral)with only 1 days notice. So i volunteered to do the desserts and with my sister-in-law/best friend Tajee we spent all friday night baking desserts, 3 cakes, 2 brownies, vanilla pudding...then frosting it all and making it presentable! I am still doing dishes from it! hehe...but it was all worth it because they said everything was wonderfully done and went smothly.

Then today we had to get hailey's hair cut(so cute) and we went to the zoo to visit the new amazonia. I went a couple of weeks ago but it is so cool we wanted to go again. Also Tajee and Jasmine hadn't been to the Amazonia part yet. It was nice but very, very, very tiring (o'yeah and HOT!!!)to walk and push both kids in the stroller. We added up the total weight with everything and it is about 150 lbs to lug around. The hills are killer and having the new entrance at the back side of the zoo it is a much longer day! My feet and back are killing me, but it was a great workout. I should go weekly and use it as a weigh loss trick. Luckily it seemed to wear hailey out because she is asleep(finally)..she was a big pain in my booty today....her attitude flaired up and i almost lost it...well maybe i did a couple of times....woops....so hopefully she will be rested for tomorrow and not such a crab.

I have to work Nursery at church in the morning so we have to be there by 8:00. That means i need to get them feed and ready by at least 6 am....and then we won't be done until 12:00. Luckily we are eating lunch at my mom's tomorrow and having left overs from the funeral so no cooking..then hopefully i can sit and relax for awhile....Or not!!

I have gotten a great deal accomplished above and beyond all of this..somehow i drastically cleaned out Jason's side of the closet...i think he had clothes in there from high school.....I have two very large boxes filled with clothes and his closet totally organized. It looks so good!! Hopefully he will be happy i did it..you never know with men..he hates when i move his stuff. I am constantly organizing(or as he puts it moving things to unknown places-hehe). Also our room has been decluttered and lots of the boxes have been filled to get ready for moving.

Then Tajee brought me a butt load of clothes for the kids. It was so sosososososososo sweet! I love her! I had bought most of Grant's wardrobe for this winter in Edinberg last year but still needed quite a bit of everyday stuff and she brougth me a wardrobe fit for a king. Basically his dresser is now overflowing...wow!! The only thing i still need for him are socks and a couple of nice t-shirts/long or short sleeve from Gap or somewhere to fill in the gaps. Then a jacket, mittens, hat..but she said she probably has all that also. It is nice to have someone to pass clothes down to me instead of me being the one giving our stuff away.

Then hailey got alot of stuff also. She still needs sooo much stuff since she is in school and needs a hefty wardrobe but basically all her jeans and sweaters are bought. Now i can focus on the cute outfits from gymboree or gap..so excited, i love to shop. But then again she also needs a new shoe wardrobe..boots, t-shoes, mary janes, black/brown dress shoes..ect. and a winter coat, hat, gloves! I am excited! Her closet/drawers and grant's are totally clean, decluttered, and old/small clothes have been removed! They are still overflowing but i like it that way! She also needs big bows.....lots of them in every color. I need to find a new store that sells them. Does anyone know a good place to get them? Most of the stores i have previously bought them from have closed down. Maybe i will buy them online this time..i am going to get off here and go check out ebay..another one of the things that is horribly addicting...

o'yeah..hailey organized her own underwear and sock drawer..color coded them and all in rows just like i have everything else. I was so proud of her. Maybe my kid's can be neat freaks like me....i love it! Another thing that make sme love my darling pain in the booty daughter!

Hailey has 1 week of kindergarten down!

It was a hard morning. Hailey was still so worn out from having to get up so early and just not quite ready for another day at school. She cried and didn't want me to leave. I almost cried but held it together. I hate leaving her while she is crying. I don't feel right..i am her mom and want her to know i will always be there for her. I don't like sneeking out when she is not looking! I just keep picturing her little tears and frown and her chasing me down the hall saying, "mommy don't go"!! It was one of the hardest things i have ever done. Had it been daycare i wouldn't have left but i know that she has to go to school and i need to make her understand that.

She has been laying down by 8-8:30 and asleep within 1/2 hour. Next week I am going to try to get her to bed before 8 pm and that way she gets an extra 1/2 hour to hour every night which should drastically improve her mood next week. The nights are so busy that it is hard to get everything done in time to have her in bed by 8:00! Also she likes to fall asleep watching tv so i have ben turning the timer on for 30 minutes and she has been asleep before the timer even goes off.

Her teacher said she is doing very well and said hailey was her big helper all week. Her teacher also said she seems to be really ahead academically and behaviorally. I am so happy to hear that but at the same time i hope she is pushed hard enough to excel and not get bored. (When i was in the evansville school system for a year then went back to castle i was so behind and i don't want the same thing to happen to her)Her teacher says staying at home with your children is so much better than having them in preschool/daycare! I loved hearing the reinforcement and knowing i am doing the right thing staying home with the kiddos. I know hailey will be fine and is strong but i miss her so-so much! I hate the idea of me having to go back to school in a couple of weeks..it is really going to limit my time with her. I just hope that i can spend all my extra time giving her the attention she needs and not spending all my time on housework and chores!

Here are some pictures of her first day of Kindergarten! She was so proud of herself and looked so gorgeous..i swear with the poses she comes up with, she is gonna be a model! Gorgeous darling!

Tomorrow is my baby's 1/2 year Birthday!!!

Grant Lee Steele

My baby is growing up and it is so sad but exciting all at the same time. Almost six months ago i was giving birth to a beautiful 6 lb. 11oz. bouncing baby boy and now he is a healthy 16 lb. 12oz. rolling, giggling ball of fire! I am amazed at how God has given me such blessings and such wonderful, healthy children. Grant's weight and height are both in the 25%-50% but his head is at the 95%..I am guessing that means he is very smart (: He has stayed pretty consistent and hasn't had any major problems since birth. He hasn't even had a cold yet..knock on wood!

He has two teeth, has been drolling like crazy and chomping on everything. I wasn't sure any more were coming in until this afternoon when i looked and noticed the white spots of two-three top teeth that are about to pop through the skin. That would solve the problem he has been having with sleeping through the night, extra crabbiness, and the drooling and chomping on everything in sight! Hailey didn't have anything but her two bottom teeth until almost 9 months...wow he is on the ball with the teeth thing!

He still has a slight recessed jaw but the doctor sayd he is eating well and doesn't think it is affecting him in any way. He also has some dry patches(on his feet and back) that he has had since birth and the doctor says it is probably eczema but they aren't bad enough to need any hydracortisone cream just keep lotion on them unless they start cracking and bleeding. His heart, hips, ect. all looked good. He is rolling over both ways and starting to make his rolls to whatever toy he wants but he prefers to be in his excersaucer. He loves that thing and can play in it for hours. Hailey was the same way they like to be entertained 24-7!

His little peepee looks good also. Still lopsided since one side has already peeled back but he said as soon as he starts getting more erections the legions will all pull away and he will be normal looking again. It was funny because the doctor said when evaluating him he has so much skin/pudge that he looks uncircumcized..you have to really draw back the skin to see his dingy...i thought that was funny! Maybe he will be blessed in the croch area also! heheheeh....

I am so thankful everyday for the time i am given with them. In this day and age it is harder to find stay at home moms and i am blessed to be one of them. I loved staying home with Hailey for the past 5 years and hope to have the opportunity to stay home for a couple more with Grant and any other baby we might have (: I see how much parents miss when they have to go to work. Sure they have an extra paycheck but those first's i just couldn't miss! Being in school(at night)i miss so many things just like if i was working ..i am so happy that it will be over next year so i can have that time with my chilren also. I wasn't so sure about a boy i thought i would be happier with all girl's but i would never give up this experience f0r the world. He is such a happy baby and keeps me giggling. Many days i just wish we would have had another one sooner! Hailey is so good with him but their ages are so far apat they won't have much in common. By the time he is in kindergarten she will be in 5th, when he is in 4th grade she will be in high school, and when he is in junior high she will start college, ect....they are in two different worlds.

I just hope hailey, jason, and I are good role models. That we show him the way of the Lord and how to be a good person in every way. I think we do the best we can but there is always room for improvement. I hope that he grows up to be a strong man, but not a bully. That he can cry in public but not be a sissy. That he appreciates his life and those of others by respecting himself, other people, and nature. I hope he will avoid drugs and alchohol and never do some of the dumb things his father and i did! Luckily we learned from our mistakes but they could have cost us alot! I hope he is a hard worker and goes to college(or at least makes something of himself) but i prefer for him to go to college first then he can do whatever he wants within reason. I hope we can pay for his first car and college. I hope he is spoiled and needs for nothing but is not rotten and unthankful for what he has. I hope he gives back to others and volunteers his time as we do. But overall i want him to be happy and healthy!!!

Grant Lee Steele-6 months old

I love you Grant and can't wait to see the man you become. Thank you for picking me as your mommy and thank you God for giving me my son and letting me have him for as long as you allow! Here is a poem i found when pregnant that sums it all up:

Baby's Choice
"Did you ever think, dear mother, as the seeds of me you sowed,
As you breathed new life inside of me,and slowly watched me grow,
In all your dreams about me, when you planned me out so well,
When you couldn't wait to have me there, inside your heart to dwell,
Did you ever think that maybe, I was planning for you, too,
And choosing for my very own a mother just like you,
A mother who smelled sweet and whose hands so creamy white,
A tender loving creature who would soothe me in the night?
Did you ever think in all those days while you were coming due,
That as you planned a life for me I sought a life with you?
And now as i lay in your arms, I wonder if you knew,
While you were busy making me, I was choosing you!"

Microfiber-friend or foe..i say FOE!!

Why is it when you go in a furniture store all the sales associates love to tell you how wonderful microfiber couches are? Are they cheeper to make than anyother couch? Is there a magic technique that make sthem faster to reproduce than other couches? I would love to know why they push them so hard! About 2 1/2 years ago we got suckered into the microfiber couch craze!!! I will never forget the wonderful associate telling us how great it is for children and how easily spills will just wipe right up without soaking through the furniture or leavign a stain..HORSE CRAP!!
First it took us over 1 month to recieve our couch..we had a party planned for new yeras and no couch because they didnt have enough ordered even though they promised it over 2 weeks before New Year's(problem 1). Once delievered the lovely Value City(problem 2) brings in the couch scrapping it all to crap (problem 3) as taking it off the truck. Sets it down in the living room as we complain about the scratches contemplating returning it, but never did(problem 4) they use a wood pen to cover what they could of the scratches and end up giving us a measly discount! We test the couch with a small bead of water and it soaks right in (problem 5). We call them and ask if the extra protective coat that we paid a pretty penny for was put on the couch..they assured us it was and we assured them that they were wrong. They ended up coming out a week later and respraying the couch. We have a KIT that they give us that is the only cleaner that can be used on the couch to keep the warranty! It is a tiny bottle of cleaner, a sponge, and a bottle of the protective coating to put on afterwards to fix the spot! Yeah within the month we had used over 1/2 a bottle and we don't allow drinks or food in the living room. It was from toddler's mouths/noses touching the couch. Every little drool spot left a gorgeous spot that had to be cleaned.
I won't go into details about the crap we have dealt with about the quality of the wood underneath or lack there of....you sit on cardboard and the frame is wood that looks worse than shipping crates(Jason's dad has had to reinforce the whole couch and ottoman)!!! Most days we have old sheets or blankets covering the couch trying not to ruin it any further but it has seen better days. It is amazing how fast the microfiber has become matted down and discusting...we are throwing it in the kids playroom or basement as soon as we move and buying a couch with a stury childfriendly cloth covering that really won't show spots..maybe leather! Word of wisdom don't buy from Value City or a microfiber couch unless you never plan on being near the couch and just want it wrapped in bubblewrap!

Hailey's 1st Day of Kindergarten

Well the dreaded day has came and gone with only minor problems. She survived and so did i! I am usually the crying type but it wasn't very hard to let her go to school..then again she didn't freak out which helped alot! She has came home the past two days very content and almost nonchalant. Her teacher is great and seems so sweet. Hopefully she is as good of a teacher as she seems like she can be.

I finally figured out how the lunch money thing works...the web site says you can pay online but once i got my account set up it didn't work so i ended up calling and talking to the cafeteria staff and they won't have it set up until October..which sucks. I hate giving her money to take to school. I guess i can just pay up a couple of months at a time and not have to worry about it so frequently. I bought her a lunch box and thought i would have her bring her lunch occassionally but for as cheap as lunch is (only $1.50 per day)we won't do it very often. Hailey will probably eat the lunch offered by the school than the stuff i would pack. At zoo camp i spent a fortune getting her 100% juice, fresh fuit, crackers, a sandwich and a snack...and many days she would barely eat anything! It would be wasted and thrown away...i would much rather her eat at school less work for me..that is alwasy a good thing!

School clothes..they don't have any regulations. I expected a full list of dont's and there arent any. She can wear flip-flops or anything else for that matter. Luckily i asked and found out the days she has gym so i can put t-shoes on her. I guess so many things i think are important really are not. Also, what happened to sports in elementary school? I can't find anything about them on their site...is it only for the older kids? I was hoping she could play something this year but it doesn't look like there is anything for her to play! Maybe they never had kindergarten sports but i know i played volleyball in elementary school. The site hasn't been updated either. Her teacher's email isn't on the site anywhere she isn't even listed under the kindergarten teachers. I guess they haven't updated it at all for the year. I should volunteer some time and help them get it up and running..they are behind! I hope to joing the PTA also..i am excited about it but don't know when i am going to make it to the meetings. I have class at nights and can't do both. I might have to miss class and at least go to some of them. I want to be active in her school life and help out however i can! I hate being left out! She is growing up too fast!I on the other hand have been pacing the house looking for things to do and watching cartoons by myself or at least listening to them! I have gotten some of the daily housework caught up and hope to start on some deep cleaning. I have so much free time now since grant is taking better naps(he slept for almost 3 hours this morning). And on the days i have my daycare kids they usually take a 2 hour nap in the afternoon...wow...what to do???

Kid's Baptismal

Wow, took us long enough. We are finally getting our kid's baptized. Grant Lee and Hailey Morgan are getting baptized on August 10, 2008. It will be at Blue Grass United Methodist Church at 10:45 then we are having a small gathering at Old Mill to celebrate afterwards. We are still doing things a little untraditionally. Instead of having Godparents they each will have two Godmothers. Grant will have my sister monica and my sister-in-law and best friend Tajee. Then Hailey will have my sister katelyne and my other best friend Kim. I know that each of them will have a special relationship with my children and will nurture their spiritual side as well as be there for them through out their life. I think being baptized is so important and having Jesus in our lives is something everyone needs. I am so happy to finally have this done and have been wanting to do it for a long time but for many differnt reasons it was never the right time.

My husband and i am pleased and i am going to try and convince him to be baptized also. I didn't know it until today but him and his sister have never been baptized. His mom even said she wished he would. I am hoping i can convince him that it is a great leap of faith. But i also don't want to push him. He is a member of the church but he still has doubts about many things and i am unsure he is ready for baptismal. I am going to talk to him tonight and see what he thinks. It would make this sunday even more special top have him join his children and his church family in christ! wow what a wonderful blessing!